Sustainability Icebreakers

Listed below are a variety of conversation starters to get you and your colleagues or friends thinking about sustainability! Use these during a staff meeting, at a club event, during class, or anywhere else you see fit.

A group of people breaks into small circles to chat.
2024 Dow Fellows get to know each other.
  • What motivates you to be environmentally conscious?
  • Which environmental issue concerns you the most, and why?
  • What sustainable change has been the hardest to implement so far in your life?
  • What is one small change you’ve made in your daily life to reduce your environmental footprint?
  • What sustainable changes have you seen in your job or classes on campus?
  • How did you first learn about climate change, and who taught you?
  • How do you encourage friends and family to be more planet friendly?
  • What is one piece of environmental news that has inspired you recently?
  • What is something sustainable you’ve seen happening at U-M? OR What is something you haven’t seen yet on campus, but would like to see happen?
  • What sustainability mascot are you? This link opens a BuzzFeed-style quiz that individuals can take for fun and then compare results as a group.
  • What’s your favorite outdoor space on campus?